The green revolution has met the “Born to Run” revolution. According to the Web site TVNZ, a New Zealand designer, Nicholas Couch, has won the James Dyson award in Auckland for a barefoot-type shoe that helps runners interested in barefoot running by allowing the foot to move more naturally and reducing injury.

Couch, 23 years old, notes that his design is unique, because it is the only sustainable barefoot-style shoe that features replaceable and recyclable parts.

“Often, these shoes are discarded when only one part – usually the sole – has worn out while the rest of the shoe remains in good condition but goes to landfill,” he said.

Couch’s shoe is made of five parts with each part designed to be discarded when required. This eliminates the need to discard the entire shoe and thereby extend the shoe’s overall life.

A bonus: the shoe is not made with glue adhesives, which are sometimes toxic. All parts of the shoe can be broken down to its original parts and recycled.